Professor Tom Solomon

World-leading scientist, Professor Tom Solomon CBE, returns to the Edinburgh Fringe this year with his new family show, Covid for Kids. His 2017 show, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Medicine, was a smash hit with a complete sell-out run at the Pleasance Theatre, and this year’s show promises to be a similar success.

 

Covid for Kids follows the adventures of Corry the Coronavirus who emerges from China to cause chaos and misery around the world until brought under control by the Science Superheroes. Along the way, the audience learns why viruses emerge, what happens in a pandemic, and how we can beat such threats in the future. In the highly interactive show, children play Jason and the R-Go-Noughts to understand how viruses are passed on and dress up as bogeys to see how the body fights infection!

 

‘This has been a really tough time for children,’ Tom commented. ‘Their lives have been turned upside during the pandemic through no fault of their own. In the show, we have a lot of fun, whilst also dealing with all the questions going through children’s minds.’

 

When he is not on stage, Tom is fighting the pandemic for real. He is a doctor, researcher, and Director of the Pandemic Institute at the University of Liverpool. He was awarded a CBE in June 2021 for his work on emerging infections. Tom is also an award-winning science communicator, winning two Guinness World Records (one for the fastest marathon dressed as a doctor and another for creating the world’s biggest brain), and hosts the Scouse Science Podcast. During the pandemic, Tom has appeared regularly on BBC One’s Breakfast and Radio 4’s Today Programme. Other appearances include CBBC Newsround, BBC One’s The One Show, and Question Time, as well as Radio 4’s Saturday Live and Great Lives.

 

Tom’s last family show, Roald Dahl's Marvellous Medicine, was about his friend and former patient Roald Dahl and his amazing medical adventures. The show had a complete sell-out run at The Pleasance Theatre in 2017 and subsequently toured the country, ending up at Leicester Square.  

 

'Solomon captivated his audience – clear, accessible, moving... amazing' (Guardian).

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‘One of the Summer’s best cultural events’  (The Times).

 

‘Tom Solomon has hit on something rather special and unique’ **** (The List). 

 

‘I loved it. I loved all of it’ (Primary Times Children's Choice Awards).